New Taipei City scheme will turn dog feces into gold

Staff Writer, with CNA

Thu, Jul 28, 2011 - Page 2

Civic-minded residents of New Taipei City (新北市) could soon be able to turn dog feces into gold, city officials said.

Starting on Monday, people who take dog feces they have collected to New Taipei City sanitation units will receive a ticket for a gold-ingot raffle, Chen Chao-mint, an official with the Environmental Protection Department, said by telephone.

The ingots will be worth anywhere from NT$12,000 to more than NT$60,000, he said.

“Through the raffle, we expect the public to pay closer attention to environmental sanitation and play a more active role in keeping their surroundings clean,” he said.

The rafffle results will be announced in October.

Since dog feces on streets and sidewalks has become a major quality of life concern for residents, the municipality has been urging dog owners to clean up after their pets.

New Taipei City will also encourage residents to form teams to patrol their neighborhoods and educate people on the importance of cleaning up after their dogs. It will also offer rewards to those who take videos or photographs of people who leave their pets’ excrement in the street.

Offenders will face fines of between NT$1,200 and NT$6,000, half of which will be used as a reward for the informant, Chen said.